Belt-stretching machine



(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. E. ELLINWOUD. BELT STRETGHING MACHINE.

No. 488,286. Patented Oct. 14, 1890.

(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 2. A. E. ELLINWOOD.

BELT STRETGHING MACHINE. y No. 438,286. Patented Oct. 14, 1.890.

6 Sheets-Sheet 3.

A. E. BLLNWOOD. BELT STRBTGHING MACHINE.

(No Model.)

Patented Oct. 14, 1890.

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wijf/m4219042@ we Noms PE1' (No Model.) A. E' ELLINWOODI 6 Sheets- Sheet 4.

BELT STRETGHING MAGHINE, No. 438,286. Patented Oct. 14, 1890.

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(No Model.)

A. E. ELLINWOOD. BELT STRETOHING MACHINE.

No. 438,286. Patented 001;. 14, 1890.

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ma aims razas on., mem-umn., w/mmsfnn, n. c.

(No Model.)

6 Sheets-Sheet 6.'

A. E. ELLINWOOD. BELT simi-:TUBING MACHINE.

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AUGUSTUS E. nLLINwooD, on AKRON, omo.

BELT-STRETCHING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 438,286, dated October 14, 1890.

Application tiled March 13| 1890. Serial No. 343,723. (No model.)

To all whom/'25 may concern.-

Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS E. ELLIN- WOOD, of Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Belt- Stretching Machines; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic belt-stretching machines, the same including a governing device for regulating the tensile strain applied to the belt and for taking up the slack of the belt caused by stretching the latter; also, automatic reversing mechanism for the machine is provided.

My invention also relates to the details of construction hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 isa plan, portions being broken away to show the construction. Fig. 3 is aleft-hand end elevation. Fig. tis an end elevation on section-line xm, Fig. 1. The figures from 4 to 13, inclusive, are enlarged. Fig. 5 is a right-hand end elevation, partly in section. Fig. 6 is an elevation in transverse section on line z z, Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a plan in detail of the left-hand portion of the machine. Fig. S is a side elevation of the right-hand portion of the machine, showing more especially the reversing mechanism. Fig. 9 is a detail of shaft and rod in reverse positions relative to Fig. S. Fig, 10 is a plan of the clutch mechanism. Fig. 1l shows longitudinal section, plan, and end view, in detail, of sleeve and connected mechanism. Fig. 12 is a side elevation, in section, of the governing mechanism. Fig. 13 is an elevation in section of the right-hand carriage or table E. Fig. 14 shows a side elevation and plan, in detail, of arm and attachments. Fig. 15Vis a side elevation of arm and attachments.

A represents a suitable supporting frame or bed for accommodating the mechanism hereinafter mentioned, this structure being supported on legs A. Frame A is provided with suitable boxes, in which, are respectively journaled the transverse shafts B B', C C, and D D', also, the top edge of the head or frame is provided with ways A2, on which tables E E may reciprocate lengthwise of the machine.

F is the driving-shaft, provided with conepulley F for regulating the speed of the machine, this shaft being also provided with beveled gear F2 for engaging, in common, bevelgears G G', thelatter being mounted, respectively, on shafts G G, these shafts being in linewith each other and extending lengthwise of the machine and located near the rear side of the machine. Shafts G G at their inner ends are journaled in stationary boxes G2 G2, connected with bed A, and these shafts are further supported by movable journal-boxes g g. These latter boxes are chambered and serve as housings for friction-wheels G3 G3, that engage, respectively, the faces of the large friction-disks D2, the latter being mounted, respectively, on shafts D D', aforesaid.

Friction-wheels G3 G3 are mounted with an easy iit on the respective shafts G G, these shafts being provided with. longitudinal grooves, and wheels Gs G3 are provided with splines adapted to operate in these grooves, whereby the friction-wheels are caused to revolve with the respective shafts, but may slide endwise thereon. These combined boxes and housings g g, that embrace the friction-wheels G3, are mounted on bars g g', that may slide endwise through bearings E2, connected with the respective tables E E with hand-screws g2 g2 (see Figs. 2 and 7) for adjusting bars y g in the direction toward or from disks D2, to regulate the pressure of'friction-wheels GSGB, respectively, against the f riction-disks. With the construction just described it is evident that by reciprocating either table E E along ways A2 the accompanying friction-wheels G3 will bemade to travel in a radial direction along the face of the engaging-disk D2. Hence the relative speed with which the respective disks D2 revolve is controlled by the movement of the respective tables E E. Shafts B B overhangthe supporting-frame on the front side thereof, and on these overhanging sections of these shafts are mounted disks H H and other appliances, hereinafter mentioned, for winding the belt, and for actuating these shafts the following transmitting mechanism is employed, to wit:

On shaft D D are mounted, respectively, pinions D2, engaging gears C2 of the respect- IOO ive shafts C C', these latter shafts having, respectively, pinions C2, that engage gears B2, mounted, respectively, on shafts B B. The gear B2 of shaft B is rigidly mounted thereon, while gear B2 of shaft B is mounted loosely on the shaft, as is also a smaller gear B2, the latter engaging direct with the opposing gear C2. The opposing ends of the hub of gears B2 B3 of shaft B are. provided with jaws for engaging the corresponding jaws of sleeve b, (see Fig. 5,) thus constituting a double socalled grab-clutch. Sleeve h is adapted to slide endwise on the shaft, but is caused to revolve with the shaft by means of the wellknown appliance of groove and spline. This sleeve is shifted by means of forked lever h', pivoted at b2, a rod h2 connecting with the lever, as shown, and extending out through a hole a of the bed to where it is conveniently operated in shifting the clutch. With sleeve b in position clutching gear B3 a comparatively fast movement is imparted to shaft- B for the initial winding of the belt thereon. Belt K, that is to be stretched, having been wound on the attachments of sleeve B, the belt is passed over idle-drums a a', and from thence the belt leads to and is fastened to attachments of shaft B', after which sleeve b is shifted to clutch gear B2, whereby a comparatively slow movement is imparted to shaft B, the latter in such case being actuated by mechanism corresponding with the transmitting mechanism of shaft B.

The appliances for attaching the belt tothe respective shafts B B are alike and are-as follows: As aforesaid, each of these shafts has rigidly mounted thereon a broad disk or flange H, and just outside the disk the shaft is conical for a short section, and from thence the reduced end section thereof is approximately cylindrical. The overhanging section of the shaft is provided with a long slot h, provided with a transverse key h. Asleeve H2 has an easy fit on the shaft, this sleeve having a slot h2, extending to the inner end of the sleeve. On sleeve H2 is mounted a disk H' with an easy fit, so that the disk may be adjusted lengthwise the sleeve. Disk H is adjusted toward and from disk H, according to the width of belt K that is to be stretched, disk H being held in its adjusted position by backing-rings H2. These rings have an easy fit on sleeve H2 and are held in position by the protruding end of key h', the latter extending through th'e slot of the sleeve, whereby the latter is made to turn with the shaft. Ascrew h2 is provided with a head h4 on the outside and with a collar h5 on the inside of the head of the sleeve, this screw engaging a threaded hole in the end of the shaft. This screw is used for drawing on and backing off the sleeve for a short distance, where the conical section of sleeve and shaft engage each other, after and before which the sleeve is readily slid on or off ofthe shaft by hand. The end of the belt is inserted in slot h2 of the sleeve of shaft B, and the belt is wound on the sleeve in the manner aforesaid, and after passing the belt over drum a a the other end of the belt is inserted in slot h2 of the sleeve of shaft B. The belt may then be unwound from one shaft and wound on the other shaft, and then by reversing the machine the belt may be passed back to the first shaft, and so on, back and forth, until the belt has been properly stretched, after which the sleeve on which the finished belt is coiled is rst loosened by means of screw h2 and is then removed by hand. Next the key-ring and disk H are removed, after which the coil of belting is easily removed from the shaft.

lt is evident that whenever the two coils of the belt on shaft B B are equal in size, in order that the one shaft shall wind up the belt as fast as the other shaft unwinds the belt, the two shafts must revolve at the same speed, and that as one coil diminishes and the other coil increases in size the motion of the shaft bearing the diminishing coil should be accelerated and the shaft bearing the increasing coil should be retarded, and that the speed of each shaft should increase inversely as its coil of belt decreases, and vice versa. As aforesaid, the speed of shafts B B are respectively varied by shifting friction-wheels G2 in a radial direction along the engagingdisks D2 D2, such results being attained by moving the respective tables along ways A2. To automatically7 operate these tables to produce the desired results, I provide as follows:

l I are rock-shafts, each bearing an upright rock-arm I,the same terminating above in a sector. (See Figs. l, 12, and 13.) To the extremes of a sector are attached flexible straps l2, usually of thin steel, these straps leading in opposite directions and attaching to the adjacent table or to an attachment of such table, so that by oscillating these arms the connected tables are reciprocated endwise. On the forward ends of shafts I I are mounted, respectively, rock-arms I2 of the bell-crank variety, arranged in the reverse order shown, the upright members thereof being connected, such connecting device consisting of tubes i and rods t" Rod t" is adapted to telescope in the tube, the rod being provided with an adjustable collar 112, and between the end of the tube and the collar is located asti spring 4, coiled around this rod and bearing against the collar and tube, whereby is had a slipjoint, the tension of the spring tending to extend the joint. Rod ft2 is pivoted to the one end of tube i', this rod being offset and having a section i5, that overlaps the tube to hold the parts in line, the extension 115 serving as a handle, by raising which the joint is deflected and the connecting-rod thereby shortened, whereby the upright members of rockarms I2 are made to approach each other. The lateral members of rock-arms 13 are cored to receive, respectively, the shanks of the detachable extension-arms I4, the latter being provid ed, respectively, with rollers I5, adapted to bear and travel on the respective belt-coils.

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`mum-sized belt-coil, and the right-hand friction-roller G3 is near the periphery of the cooperating disk D2. As the belt-coil borne by shaft B gradually decreases in size, roller I5 gradually approaches shaft B, and in so doing will slowly shift friction-wheel G3 toward the center of the engaging-disk D2. On the other hand, the increasing belt-coil on shaft B' gradually elevates the left-hand roller I3,

and thereby shifts the left-hand friction-Q wheel G3 toward the periphery of the lefthand disk D2.

friction-wheels G3.

table E.

frame J', the latter bearing a heavy gravityroller J2, this roller being adapted to ride on sion or arm J3, that is connected by means of link j with rockarmj, the latter being mounted on rock-shaft g2. This shaft is journal-ed in boxes connected with table E'; but the shaft is elevated some little distance above the table. Shaft ,7'2 bears a lateral graduated lever 33, that corresponds with a scale-beam, and is provided with adjustable poise j4. By adjusting this poise along the graduated lever, the pressure of roller J2 on the belt is increased or diminished, according to the width of the belt. It will be noticed that lever J3 extends a short distance to the right hand of its supportingshaft, so that the poise can be adjusted to partially counterbalance roller J2-for instance, in case of a very narrow belt.

With the mechanism as thus far described there has been no provision for taking up the slack of the belt caused by the stretching of the belt. Of course some portions of the belt will stretch more than other portions, so that it cannot be predetermined with any accuracy how much the entire belt will stretch, or how much any particular section of the belt will stretch.

lo take up the slack of the belt caused by stretchingvthat section lof the belt that is passing from one drum ct to the other, l provide an automatic governor that so far controls r the movement of shaft B', by increasing the speed of this shaft while the belt is winding thereon and by decreasing the speed of this shaft while the belt is being wound on shaft B with the reverse movement of the machine, that such variations ot' shaft B' are at all times just sufficient to take up the slack caused by stretching the belt. This governing mechanism is as follows: Theflexible straps l2 of the left-hand rock-arm and sector I' do not connect directly with table E', but instead connect with bar E3, the latter being bolted to the under side of this table, the securingbolts thereof operating in longitudinal slots of the bar, so that the bar may slide endwise of the table a limited distance. A link L at the longitudinal center thereof has a depending trunnion L', that extends through and is journaled in the vertical hole in the table, thus constituting a pivotal bearing for the link, whereon the link may oscillate. Below the table an arm L2 at one end thereof is rigidly secured to the trunnion, the other end of this arm being pivotally connected with bars E3, preferably by means of the arm entering a mortise or pocket in the bar, as lVith the reverse movement of the machine the reverse movement of roller 13 causes reverse movements of the tables and j shown more clearly at L", Fig. 7. With such construction it is evident that if the table be reci procated along the bar E3 the link will be oscillated thereby; and, conversely, if the link For stretching the belt, I provide an arm J, connected with, for instance, the left-handf This arm extends over the line of the belt and has pivoted thereto a swingin-g 1 be oscillated it will reciprocate the table along the bar. The link is provided with a curved longitudinal slot or recess L4, and therein operates a roller Z or sliding block, if preferred, such roller or sliding block, as thecase may be, being operatively connected with the the belt as the latter is passing from one drum a to the other drum. Frame J has an exteni push-bar l'. The latter is pivotally connected With arm j, depending from shaft j2, the joint between this arm and push-bar being a little loose, so that not only the push-bar may swing laterally on the arm, but the arm may vibrate the limitedv distance necessary without cramping. Push-bar Z' is held in its for- Ward or rearward position, so as to connect either with the forward or rearward end of the link by means of a forked arm M', connected with the shifting mechanism, hereinafter described. Roller J2, as it engages the belt, will descend, more or less, according as the engaging section of the belt stretches more or less, and as some sections of the belt will stretch more than other sections roller J2 will consequently have a variable up-anddown movement, and by means of the connecting mechanism just described such npand-down movement of this roller will actuate link L, and thereby shift the table endwise relative to bar E3.

Suppose the machine be running in the direction to wind the belt on shaft B',in which case the relation of parts is such that the push-bar Z' will connect with the forward end of linkv L. In such position of parts the downward movement of the roller J2 will shift the connected table toward the left hand, thereby increasing the speed of the shaft B', thus taking up the extra length of belt caused by stretching. Meantime this table is being moved gradually toward the right hand by the increasing coil of belt on shaft B', in a manner already described, so that the effect of the governing mechanism just described is to cause the table to lag behind or maintain a position a little farther toward the left hand than it would otherwise do, whereby the speed IOO lIO

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l of shaft B is slightly increased. Vhen the belt shall have been Wound on shaft B', the left-h and f riction-wheel Gfs will have reached'a position near the periphery of the left-hand disk D2, and when this occurs the machine, by meansof mechanism hereinafter described, is automatically reversed, so as to Wind the belt back upon shaft B, and in thus reversing the machine push-bar l is shifted to its rearward position. With such position of parts, as the coil of belt on shaft B diminishes in size, table E will be slowly moved toward the left hand, in which case the action of the governor will cause the table to lag behind or maintain a position farther toward the right hand than it would otherwise do, whereby the movement of shaft B is retarded, so that shaft B takes up the slack caused by further stretching the belt by the second winding thereof.

The automatic reversing mechanism is as follows: M is a rock-shaft extending lengthwise'the machine, the one end thereof being supported by cross-bar A3 of the bed. The other end of the rock-shaft is supported by lugs e e, depending from table E. Mounted on this rock-shaft and operatin g between lugs e e is locatedthe forked arm M aforesaid for shifting push-bar l. This arm M has an easy iit on the rock-shaft, so that it may slide eudwise thereon, so as to move in unison with table E by reason of the embracing-lugs e e. The shaft is provided with a longitudinal groove, and thc arm is provided with a spline adapted to fit in such groove, whereby the rock-arm is caused to move with the rock-shaft. On this rock-shaft is mounted segmental wheel or sheave M2, to the extremes of which are attached cords m m, leading in opposite direc-- tions and passing around idle-sheaves m m', the latter being supported from the bed A. From thence cords m lead to and operate a belt-shifter, (not shown,) by means of which the machine is reversed. Ou shaft M is also mounted bevel-gear M3, engaging bevel-gear N, the latter being mounted on shaft N. Shaft N is provided with a depending arm N2 yand with a reversing-lever N3. To arm N2 are pivoted rods P P, leading in opposite directions. (See Fig. 8.) The two arms and the mechanism for actuating the same are alike, except that they are arranged in reverse order, and a description of one will therefore serve for both, the right-hand rod and co-operating mechanism being shown in large size in Fig. 8. Rod P at the free end thereof is provided with a lateral stud P the same eX- tending toward the adjacent sides of bed A. On this stud is mounted a small roller P2. The adjacent side of bed A is provided on the inside thereof with an inwardly-projecting curved shelf or rest a2, adapted to engage roller P2. This shelf does not extend inward far enough to interfere with rod P. Hence this rod may move up and down past the inner edge of this shelf. The elevated position of rod P is shown with roller P2 resting on top of the shelf, and While the belt is being wound from shaft B to shaft B roller P2 is located, as shown, near the right-hand end of the shelf. Each rod P is provided with a collar p, and each table E E is provided with a dog e for engaging the opposing collar, these dogs being adjustable lengthwise the respective tables. Shafts C C are each provided with a toe or cam c, operatingin the same vertical plane as the opposing roller P2. Bed A is provided with springs a3, that are offset in- Ward, so as to be out of the way of roller P2, these sprin gs bein gadapted to engage, respectively, rods P in the depressed position of the latter. While the belt K is being wound from shaft B the right-hand rod P will remain in the position shown in Fig. 8, with .roller P2 thereof, resting on shelf 01,2 near the righthand or outer end of the shelf. Meantime the left-hand rod P will be in position with its roller P2 near the inner or right-hand end of its shelf a2. When the belt K shall have been nearly unwound from shaft B and table E has consequently nearly reached the extreme of its movement toward the right han d, dog c engages the opposing collar p, and by 'such engagement moves the right-hand rod P toward the right hand, so that its roller P2 is disengaged or pushed off of its shelf and descends by gravity, so that roller P2 is within the reach of the opposing cam c. Shaft C meantime 'is revolving in the direction of the arrow. Hence as this cam comes on top of the shaft the cam engages roller P2 an d pushes the latter toward the left hand, thereby reversing the machine, and in so doing roller P2 is passed under and past its shelf a2. As roller P2 passes off from the right-hand end of the shelf, as aforesaid, rod P in its descent engages and compresses the opposing spring a3, and as the head of the rod adjacent the stud thereof engages the spring the latter is still further compressed, so that as roller P2 passes from under the shelf the recoil of the spring elevates the rod, whereby with the reverse movement of this rod, caused by the reversing mechanism at the other end of the machine, the right -hand roller P2 again mounts on top the shelf and returns to the place of beginning. (Shown in Fig. S.) With this construction the machine automatically reverses whenever the belt is nearly unwound from either shaft B or B', and at the same operation the governing mechanism is reversed in the manner aforesaid. Belt K is therefore passed from one shaft to the other until it has been properly stretched, the machine meantime requiring no attendance.

R is a brace-bar having heads R bored to fit the protruding ends of the shafts on which the drums a a are mounted. To heads R are pivoted, at r, jointed arms comprising members S S pivotally connected at S2.

Member S has a forked end s, adapted, respectively, to-iit the forward sections of shafts B B. Members Shave offset sections s', that overlap members S to hold the two sections of the arms in line with each other. Members s serve, also, as handles for detlecting the joints in loosening these arms in placing or removing the device from the machine. This mechanism supports the different engagingshafts as against the tensile strain of the belt, which with broad belts is very great.

Tables E and E may be provided with rollers e2, adapted to travel on ledges A4 of bed A to render these tables as nearly frictionless as possible, in which case ways A2 only serve as guides for these tables.

Vhat I claim isl. A belt-stretching machine having opposing shafts for winding the belt thereon from one shaft to the other, combined with variable driving mechanism for each shaft, such driving mechanism being operatively connected, respectively, with rollers adapted to engage the periphery of the respective beltcoils of the two shafts and connected with the variable driving mechanism, the arrangement being such as to vary the speed of each shaft inversely as its belt-coil increases or diminishes in diameter, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with opposing shafts adapted to wind the belt from one shaft to the other,` rock-arms bearing rollers adapted, respectively, to engage the periphery of the belt-coils of the respective shafts, of a springactuated extension-rod connecting such rockarms, such rock-arms being operatively connected with a variable driving mechanism of the belt-winding shafts, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with opposing beltshafts adapted to wind and unwind the belt from the one shaft to the other, friction-disks, and engaging friction-wheels for driving the respective belt-winding shafts, of reciprocating tables bearing, respectively, the frictionwheels, such tables being operatively connected with rock-arms bearing rollers adapted to engage the periphery ofthe belt-coils of the respective shafts, substantially as set forth.

4. lIn a belt-stretching machine, in combination, a shaft having a slotted section overhanging the journal-bearings of the shaft, a slotted sleeve adapted to iit thereon, opposing inside and outside disks, the former being mounted rigidly on the shaft, the latter being mounted loosely on the sleeve, rings for adj usting the outer disk toward and from the inner disk, and a key operating in the slots of the shaft and sleeve, such keybeing adapted to engage the outer ring, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with opposing beltwinding shafts, substantially as indicated, of a swinging frame bearing a roller adapted to engage the belt in the passage of the belt from one shaft to the other, anda scale-beam and poise, the former being operatively connected 7. In a belt-stretching machine, the combination, with opposing belt-winding shafts having variable driving mechanism, and a swinging frame having a roller adapted to ride upon the belt for stretching the latter, of a governor for operatively connecting the swinging frame with the variable driving mechanism, such governor including a reversing-link, substantially as set forth.

8. In a belt-stretching machine, the combination, with a swinging framebearing a roller adapted to engage the belt for stretching the latter, and a lever and poise for regulating the pressure of such roller upon the belt, of a governor operatively connected with such swinging frame and adapted thereby to vary the speed of the belt-winding shafts according to the stretch of the belt, substantially as set forth.

9. In a belt-stretching machine, the combination, with a belt-winding shaft provided with variable driving mechanism, including reciprocating tables bearing friction-wheels, of push-bars extending in opposite directions, shelves adapted to hold the push-bars elevated and inoperative, springs for elevating the push-bars, cams for actuating the push-bars alternately in opposite directions, and dogs connected with the respective tables for moving the push-bars from o the shelves to engagement with the respective cams, such pushbars being operatively connected with the belt-shifting mechanism for reversing the machine, substantially as set forth.

l0. In a belt-stretching machine, the combination,with a belt-winding shaft and stretching device having a reversible governor, of mechanism, substantially as indicated, for reversing the machine, such machine-reversing mechanism being operatively connected with the reversing mechanism of the governor, whereby the machine and governor reverse simultaneously, substantialy as set forth.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification, in the presence of two witnesses, this 27th day of February, 1890.

AUGUSTUS E. ELLINVVOOD.

IVitnesses:

C. H. Donna, WILL B. SAGE.

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